WBC Sightings

23 to 29 April 2017

A male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen and heard drumming at St James South Elmham, 27 to 29 April. Passerine highlights at Carlton Marshes included a male Blue-headed Wagtail, a White Wagtail and a Bearded Tit, 23 April, two Cuckoos, 24 April, two Stonechats, 26 April, five Grasshopper Warblers, 28 April and a Whinchat, four Wheatears, three Yellow Wagtails and ten Cetti’s Warblers, 29 April. The first Nightingale (Broome, 28 April) and Garden Warbler (again Broome, 28 April) of the year were recorded. Elsewhere, Wheatears were noted at Ashby (three), 23 April and Castle Marsh, North Cove (six), 25 April; Cuckoos at Lopham Fen and Oulton Marshes, 23 April; Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe, 28 April and Castle Marsh, 29 April; Yellow Wagtails at Castle Marsh, 25 April and Burgh Castle, 27 April; three Grasshopper Warblers at Oulton Marshes, 23 April; Cetti’s Warblers at Oulton Marshes (six), Worlingham Marshes (five) and Somerleyton, 23 April and Lopham Fen, 24 April and Bearded Tits at Lopham Fen, 24 April and Castle Marsh, 25 April.

Two Cranes flew south over Carlton Marshes early afternoon on 23 April. Little Egrets were reported from Carlton Marshes (two), 23 April, Herringfleet Marshes (two), 25 April and Earsham and Haddiscoe Island, 27 April, while two male Garganeys were present at Carlton Marshes, 28 April.

The first Hobby of the year was seen at Worlingham, 28 April. A Red Kite was noted at Ditchingham, 23 April and a Peregrine at Carlton Marshes, 29 April, while the escaped Harris’s Hawk from last week flew over Carlton Marshes on 25 April. Two Short-eared Owls were hunting at Carlton Marshes, 23 April and Barn Owls were recorded at Carlton Marshes, 23 April and Outney Common, Bungay 25 April.

Waders at Carlton Marshes included 21 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, two Ruff and a Dunlin, 23 April, two Redshanks, 25 April, 53 Whimbrel and a Little Ringed Plover, 27 April and two Green Sandpipers, 28 April. Further records of Whimbrel included one at Oulton, 28 April and 20 at Castle Marsh the following day. Two Common Sandpipers were present at Flixton GP, 23 April, a Spotted Redshank and 39 Black-tailed Godwits at Burgh Castle, four Curlews and two Redshanks at Earsham and a Redshank at Haddiscoe Island, 27 April and a Jack Snipe at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe, 29 April.